Stage Precision brings ultimate accuracy to augmented reality with AJA

AJA capture cards are key to the smooth operation of the Stage Precision system, which helps crews manage position control and camera tracking data for live events, installations and augmented reality television format broadcasts.

Stage Precision is a software technology company that connects the virtual and digital worlds by unifying all production data in a 3D space. The company’s backbone is a software, still in beta, that allows teams to interconnect data from all devices in a live event or facility workflow into a centralised backbone, allowing for greater ease of use and accessibility. The system offers an extensive library of input/output connections ensuring compatibility with a wide range of protocols from brands such as NCAM, Spidercam, Mo-Sys StarTracker, stYpe, Technocrane, TrackMen and others.

Position control support includes support for real-time 3D tracking solutions such as PosiStageNet, OptiTrack or BlackTrax, and 2D tracking approaches such as blob tracking that support image-based analysis. Stage Precision can also work with a wide range of connections from other industry output devices such as audio, sensors, controllers and more. For example, for a production that uses four or five different protocols for camera and positioning, Stage Precision’s software takes care of unifying everything into a single 3D data set that can be analysed, controlled and sent to a real-time engine such as Unreal or Unity.

The Stage Precision team recommends that customers use AJA capture and output cards for synchronising protocol data to drive control devices and real-time engines for frame-locking and genre-locking. AJA cards allow customers to align data points together from different manufacturers and protocols, and move data within a frame in less than 0.1 milliseconds. Similarly, these solutions also receive images for Stage Precision’s lens calibration workflows and for reading embedded timecode. More specifically, while the software is compatible with most AJA I/O boards, the company specifically recommends AJA Corvid 88, Corvid 44, Corvid 24, Corvid LHi, Corvid IP, Kona 5, Kona 4 and Kona 1.